Resilient safety mat



w..|.| UTEY 2,139,025

l RESILIENT s AFETY MAT Filed July 1o, 1937 Hmm" umm!! umm w ggggmgn uiiiiiii: ummm n f ff ATTORNEY I Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFUCE.

2,139,025 RESILIENT SAFETY MAT William J. Lutey, Seattle, Wash. Application July 10', 1937, Serial No. 152,966

5 Claims.

This invention relates to resilient safety mats in general, and particularly to mats and step treads having bases of solid material adapted to hold strips of resilient non-slip material in a novel manner.

An embodiment of the invention comprises a base of hard material, such as metal, that provides a plurality of slots adapted to receive strips of soft resilient material, such as may be cut from rubber tire casings, that are wound about the portions of the base between slots to form a plurality of elliptically spiralled coils.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of the kind described, that has the resilient material so arranged that it will increase greatly its effective resiliency and non-slip features, yet permit its replacement easily and quickly when worn.

Another object is to provide an article of the kind described, that lends itself readily to different color schemes by changing only the color of the finish applied to the surface of the base without changing the neutral color of the resilient material.

A further object is to provide an article of the kind described, that may be made in comparatively small unts, which in turn may be linked together to provide mats of various larger sizes, for convenience in moving, and for irnmersing in an antiseptic solution, thus greatly increasing its sanitary features.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention, which consists of certain parts and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and embraced in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one unit of my invention, with one row of the elliptically spiralled coils omitted to better show the slots.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the unit taken on broken line 2-2 of Fig. l, to a smaller scale, and with all coils in place.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, to a still smaller scale, of two units fastened together by a plurality of links to form a mat of larger size.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section through a portion of one of the coils, taken on broken line 4-4 of Fig. l, to a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through the linked edge portions of two units, taken on broken line 5-5 of Fig. 3 to a larger scale.

Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the drawing, wherein 6 illustrates a preferred form of base that may be of any suitable materia If made of sheet metal, slot apertures 1a, 1b, 8a and 8b', holes 9, holes lil and notches Il, all may be punched in one 5 operation of a suitable punch and die press, after which bevel edges Se may be formed in another press with a forming die.

It will be noted in Fig. l, that the slots are arranged in double rows, with a pair of shorter l0 slots 'la and 1b at the opposite ends of adjacent double rows, thus placing the intervals between slot pairs opposite the mid-point of the slot pairs of the adjoining rows. It will be noted also that the ends of slots 1a and 8a are displaced slightly l5 with reference to the corresponding ends of slots 1b and Bb, respectively, for the reason about to be explained.

Strips of resilient material I2, preferably made from the multiple layer rubberized fabric of the 20 casings of old automotive vehicle tires, are provided near their ends with slots |23 in preparation for use to form the elliptical spiral coils hereinbefore mentioned.

Starting at the center, one notched end of a 25 prepared strip is passed through slot 8a and the other end through slot 8b of the base. are then brought together and the strip pulled through as far as possible to equalize the lengths extending from the two slots. An elliptical spiral 30 coil then may be wound quickly and easily around the intervening portion of the base by passing iirst one end successively through the pair of slots mentioned until the notched end cornes opposite the base at the left end, say of slot Ba. 35 The wound portion of the coil is then pushed lirmly toward that end, thus holding the end of the strip securely in position as may be seen in Fig. 4.

The other end of the strip, likewise, then may 4() be passed successively through the pair of slots until the notch at the end is seen to be ready to engage the base at the right end of slot 8b, whereupon the coil is compressed toward the other end of the slot until the notched end can 45 be entered, then the coil is released.

In this manner the resiliency of the coil continuously holds the notched ends of the strip in engagement with the base at the ends of slots 8a and 8b, respectively, the length of strip and dis- 50 tance between notches having been predetermined to make possible this simple procedure and the resulting construction. From the foregoing it will be understood, that both ends of each coil strip are held in pos'tion by the engagement of 55 characteristics of the mat.

By standardizing the size of the unit the cost of production can be minimized. When it is color scheme.

Holes 9 may be provided for screws or other means not shown, for fixing the mat in place, if desired.

istics of the mat.

It Will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, that t scope of the appended claims.

Having described rows, and means for securing the ends of said coils to said base.

4. A safety mat comprising a base providing a plurality of parallel slot apertures arranged in WILLIAM J. LU'IEY. 

